Mirror Finish
by Uncle Charlie
Summary: Sapphire and Steel must battle their most deadly foe yet - a family-sytle restaurant - oh, and defeat soul harvesters at the same time. No warnings unless you really hate family-style restaurants


Salem blinked as the couple approached. She could have sworn that she hadn't seen them a second earlier. It was as if they had simply appeared in midstride. She shook her head and plastered on a big smile.

"Good evening. Welcome to C K's. Have a lovely evening." She pushed open the door and the man studied her for a long moment. Suddenly anxious, Salem stepped slightly behind the heavy wood of the door to give him more room. He wasn't an especially large man, but he seemed to command more than usual amount of personal space. His companion walked at his side, apparently unaffected by the man's demeanor. She watched them move into the restaurant proper. They didn't look like the usual CK customers to her. Salem was pretty sure they'd be out the minute they realized their mistake. To be honest, they gave her the heebie-jeebies.

Curious, she followed them inside to see their reaction. The interior of the restaurant was shiny with highly polished glass and chrome. Large screen TVs decorated the walls, each on tuned to a sporting event. The couple looked as out of place as a porcupine in a balloon factory, yet neither of them seemed to even notice it.

The woman stepped up to the podium, exchanged a few words with the front of house manager and then stepped aside.

Jessica approached them, arm full of menus, ushering them away.

"Wow, now there's something you don't see every day." Sam watched the pair disappear into the restaurant proper.

"He looks like a mortician. What kinda coat was that?"

"A morning jacket… or a day coat… or something like that, I think." Sam was a theatre student and was studying costuming. "I didn't think anyone wore them anymore, at least not to a brew house."

"I bet you they have something to do with all the deaths we've been having," Salem murmured, looking around to make sure the owner wasn't in ear shot.

"You could get fired for even mentioning that," Sam whispered back. "They told us to forget about it."

Salem flashed back to a few weeks earlier. The family had arrived, full of high spirits. They were celebrating a birthday and an anniversary. They were laughing and joking one minute, dead the next. She'd snapped a photo of them, all smiles, and less than ten minutes later watched paramedics work frantically to save any of them. No matter what management said, it was not something she'd ever be likely to forget.

_ALL IRREGULARITIES WILL BE HANDLED BY THE FORCES CONTROLLING EACH DIMENSION; TRANSURANIC HEAVY METAL MAY NOT BE USED WHERE THERE IS LIFE. MEDIUM ATOMIC WEIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE: GOLD, LEAD, COPPER, JET, DIAMOND, RADIUM, SAPPHIRE, SILVER AND STEEL. SAPPHIRE AND STEEL HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED._

Sapphire picked up the menu, surprised by its weight. "Why would anyone need so many choices?" she murmured and she flipped through three pages of beer offerings. "I long ago arrived at the conclusion that one beer is very much like the other when compared to the end result."

"Which is?" Steel was less than impressed with the menu or the restaurant.

"Intoxication and the need for frequent urination."

"Why are we here, Sapphire?" She had been briefed. He was just back from a solo mission and was still in the dark. Sapphire opened her mouth but never got the chance to say anything as a young man stopped at their table side.

"Hi there! I'm Jacob, your waiter. Welcome to CK's. Is this your first visit?"

"Yes. Yes, it is." Sapphire didn't continue to say it was their first time in a restaurant period, at least together. They, of course, had been exposed to many different structures and situations during their training, but that was a very long time ago and she had been with Silver then.

"Well, I highly recommend the buffalo wings, although they can be pretty messy."

_Obviously our dress is inappropriate._ Steel didn't look amused. Of course, he was totally responsible for his own choices, but he did rely upon Sapphire heavily for wardrobe suggestions.

_The only restaurant I've ever been exposed to was the Ritz in London. This was how people dressed there._

_What decade, Sapphire?_

_The 1930's, I believe._

_And it would stand to reason that people dress the same in the 21__st__ century in America?_

Sapphire started to make a retort and realized the young man, Jacob, was staring expectantly at her. "I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?"

"Um… sure. What would you like to drink?" Jacob spoke very slowly.

"Ah, I believe a Bloody Mary and my… companion would like a martini."

"Vodka or gin?" Jacob swung his attention to Steel.

"Gin-"

"And perhaps your appetizer platter as we can't seem to make up our minds," Sapphire interrupted.

"Got it!" Jacob scribbled something on his pad and left.

"Incredible." Steel studied the room. Many of the tables were occupied with laughing people. Others were drinking and watching one of the many TV screens. "They consider this worthy entertainment?"

"Some people do. Others see it as a way to reconnect with family and friends. Others see it as a celebration of sorts."

"While others consider it a way to harvest unbridled power and energy." He tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. "There is only one main beam visible on the ceiling and a plethora of ducts. There is crown molding on either end opposite the beam."

Sapphire shook her head slowly. "I don't remember them ever using ductwork or crown molding for transport." Her eyes glowed as she accessed files.

Steel contented himself with people watching. They were always a mystery to him. They spent so much time socializing…

A glass was placed in front of him and he glanced at it as if confused as to its purpose. Sapphire smiled as a long tray was set between them. A second glass went to her right and the person departed without a word to either of them.

"Sapphire?" Steel didn't eat or drink as a rule. He could, he just chose not to.

"It's a martini. Sip it. Slowly." She tasted her drink and nodded. "It's a little spicy but tasty."

Steel ignored his drink and continues to study the architecture. "There is aluminum in the trim."

"They, however, have used that. Remember the airplane."

Steel nodded grimly. He'd tried very hard to forget the airplane. The Harvesters had taken everyone on the plane through the aluminum. The crash had hidden their activity until another plane was threatened. Sadly, Ruby and Bronze uncovered their plot too late to save themselves and the Harvesters took them as well, a major coup for them. It had been up to Steel and Jet to do the clean up. He still missed Bronze's easy good humor and Ruby's laugh.

A hand covered his and he looked at it and then up that the empathetic eyes of his partner. He sighed, smiled, and nodded again. It had been decades before and it still took his breath away.

"I'm sorry for their loss."

"It's not your fault, Sapphire. It was no one's fault."

To rid himself of the memories, Steel stood and walked closer to the wall, watching how his reflection played across the polished surface. Patrons glanced briefly at him and dismissed him nearly as quickly. He walked to a nearly empty part of the restaurant and reached out, touching the aluminum trim with cautious fingers.

_Are you there? Can you hear me?_

_You speak? To us? _The voice sounded tinny and Steel smiled at the thought.

_I am like you. Are you whole? Are you safe? _

_Yes, strong and safe. We protect. We watch._

_Thank you, my brothers. Be safe._

Steel let his hand drop, refusing to let the irony of the situation make him introspective. If it hadn't been for his gifts, his ability to think and act, he might have been assigned a similar role as a young agent.

"Are you all right, sir?" He glanced at the young woman and recognized her as the young woman at the door. She was carrying a tray of dirty dishes.

"I am. I just needed a moment to myself."

"Okay." She started to walk away, her pony tail bouncing in time with her step.

"Wait." He called after her, taking a step. "Please?"

"Um, okay." She turned back and smiled. "How can I help you?"

"The family that died here -"

She slid the tray onto an empty table and looked around fugitively. "I can't talk about it. I could be fired."

"Please." Steel used his most placating tones. "My brother died here and no one will tell me anything. Could you just point out where it happened?"

"I didn't think you looked the type who frequented this sort of place. That explains it. It was in the booth that is just opposite the Chinese Magic Mirror."

"I'm sorry?" He looked around as if confused when he was, in fact, buying time. _Sapphire, what is a Chinese Magic Mirror?_ Her voice came back to him a moment later.

_Chinese magic mirrors appear ordinary mirrors, but when held in sunlight, the mirror and bronze back become see-through. These mirrors date back to at least the Fifth Century and yet are still written about in contemporary physics journals. They are considered very rare and priceless. Most of them are found in museums and private collections._

"How could a restaurant like this afford something as exclusive as a Chinese Magic Mirror?"

"You know what they are, then?" She grinned widely. "Most of our patrons just look at me like they are totally confused."

"Yes, but how –"

"They aren't real… well, that one is, but don't tell anyone. When the owner's wife went on a shopping trip, she found it and fell in love with it. The guy selling it said it had given him nothing but bad luck since he'd found it. She bought it and then had copies of it made for all the locations. She kept the original and put it up here." Salem shook her head. "Rich people are a little weird."

"I would certainly agree with you on that point. You speak of her in the past sense."

"Yes, sadly, she died just about a month later. The owner came in early and found her slumped over. No reason, she was just dead. Ever since then, he moves the mirror from location to location."

"Why?" Sapphire had joined the party.

Salem looked at her, darted another nervous glance around and shook her head. "No idea, really. Her death really affected him. Everything else that's happened at our various locations has really taken a toll. He's like the walking dead now… in a daze most of the time. Excuse me. I have to get back to work." She retrieved her tray and headed for the kitchen.

They watched after her dart in between servers and customers and disappear into a back room. Steel shifted his attention to the ornate silver framed mirror.

"It does look very much out of place." Sapphire started to move towards it and Steel's fingers caught her arm in a firm but gentle grip.

"No closer." He shook his head. "Something is not right."

"I agree. Our food is getting cold and we are attracting attention."

"You always attract attention, Sapphire."

"Why, Steel, that's sweet."

"I didn't mean -"

They returned to their table and Steel picked up something golden and crispy looking and stared at it. "What is this?"

"It is a zuchhini strip, I believe."

"This is a vegetable?"

"A deep fried vegetable, yes. You can dip it in the white sauce, if you'd like."

He did as he was bid and took a bite, neither liking nor hating the experience. Sapphire followed suit, all the while studying him.

Eventually he ventured. _What's wrong, Sapphire?_

"_What? Oh, nothing, Steel. _She abruptly sipped her drink and refocused upon a TV screen.

_Sapphire, you cannot lie to me. You… should not lie to me. _He reached across the table and settled his hand upon hers. "What is troubling you?"

_They… have concerns._

_With?_

_Your ability to cope with this assignment._

_Because of what happened to Ruby and Bronze?_

_Yes._

_Nothing untoward__will happen. We will find the Harvesters and we will deal with them, just as we've dealt with every other obstacle in our path._

She nodded and said, abruptly, "It's not the mirror, is it?"

"No, I think not. Rather, it is indeed a trick mirror, one meant to mystify and mislead." Steel looked down at the tray, momentarily startled to find it empty. "Should we order something else?"

Sapphire smiled and nodded. "If you'd like." She turned to motion to their waiter and hesitated. "Steel."

He followed her gaze. Not far from the Chinese mirror and opposite it was a small, less ornate mirror. "Sitting at that table, you would gaze into the first mirror, but…"

"Not see the second one. Hiding in plain sight." She started to stand but Steel's hand tightened upon hers.

"No, Sapphire."

"What?" She settled back in her chair. "Why on Earth not?"

Steel nodded to a clock. It was seven. "For the next hour, you must promise me you will not approach that mirror. This is when they are the strongest."

"How do you know that?"

"Painful experience. If you go back into the files, you will see that every incident occurs immediately before, during, or following this hour. We do not know why."

"What of the servers?"

Jacob was suddenly standing before them. "I see you have finished the platter. What else can I get you?"

"What would you recommend?" Sapphire's smile was blinding and the boy seemed to suddenly lose the power of speech. Then he cleared his throat and dropped his eyes to his order pad.

"Um, well if you want to stick with the apps, the flatbread pizzas are pretty good, especially the blue eyes, I mean, black and blue or the All Meat special."

"Then one of each, please."

"And another round?" He motioned to the empty glasses.

"Yes, thank you."

_You were explaining as to how the mirror does affect the servers._

_You need to stop and look into the mirror. Simply they are too busy working to achieve the link necessary to be taken._

The young woman, Salem, passed by and Steel held up a finger. She hesitated and then approached. "Yes, sir?"

"What about that mirror?" He indicated the smaller mirror and Salem shrugged her shoulders.

"No idea, it just showed up one day. We tried to take it down, but the owner wouldn't have it."

"Is the owner here?"

"Yeah, but you can't disturb him now. He's a bear about being disturbed while he's eating."

"Here?"

"In his office."

"Thank you." Steel smiled and the woman blinked, nodded and stumbled away.

"Look at the effect you have on people, Steel. And you accuse me of blindingly good looks." Their drinks arrived and for a moment, nothing was said. "You think it's the manager, don't you?"

"Rarely do they operate through people, but it's not unknown."

"What do we do?"

"We do nothing." Steel stood and Sapphire also rose. He shook his head. "Sit, Sapphire, I am merely going to hedge my bets, nothing more."

He walked again to the aluminum trim and set his hand upon it. _I need your help._

_Speak. We are bound to hear._

_You quote Shakespeare?_

_He quotes us._

_The silver mirrors?_

_Yes, they are alien to us- not of us._

_How are they attached to the walls?_

_With bolts, our brother._

_Make them fail._

_As you wish. When? _

_When the booths beneath them are empty._

_Such as now?_

_Yes. Please._

He turned and started back to the table. The larger mirror toppled first, bouncing head over tail, cracking against the table, sending shards of glass everywhere. The second mirror followed moments later. People reacted as he predicted. They screamed, shouted, moved about anxiously. Pandemonium followed the crash and Steel continued to his table, pausing beside it.

_You did that. _Sapphire's voice was slight accusatory.

_Yes._

_Why?_

Wordlessly, Steel nodded. A tall, ashen-faced man stumbled into the main part of the dining room to survey the damage. "We made him come to us. We will meet him on common ground, not in his lair."

"By destroying the mirrors?"

"They are merely holding receptacles for him. He is the Harvester." Steel moved quickly from the table to the man and caught his arm. The man's eyes flashed, instantly recognizing a fellow non-human life form.

"You did this?" The voice was empty of emotion.

People were watching and Steel knew he could do nothing about this. He was not clever with time as Sapphire was. He could not erase this moment; he was not worried. Others would be sent in if They deemed it necessary.

"You were warned not to return to this planet. We warned you, as did others."

The Harvester let his head sway as if part cobra, looking for a chance to strike. "He is gone, traveling the stars. Not here to shelter his children."

"We are here in his stead. As he has stated, this planet is protected. You will not interfere with its predestined timeline."

"Who will stop us? You? You are nothing, Element… but food for fodder. You tried before and won merely by a mistake. This time there will be no mistakes." The Harvester reached out and grabbed Steel's hand. It shook and tried to retrieve the hand, but Steel held firm.

"I should think your confidence is misguided. I am not as I was. I am an alloy, forged deep in the Earth. Mistakes will be made but not on my part." He closed his eyes and let his core temperature plunge.

The Harvester's hand and arm grew white and the creature howled, but still Steel held on. People raced to help, but Sapphire stood in their way.

"No, leave them alone." Her eyes began to glow and people fell back, both in awe and fear.

Around them, sport memorabilia, posters, and plain mirrors began to fall from the walls. People retreated, pushing and shoving for the doors. Someone threw a chair out a window and climbed out. Another man yanked open the emergency exit and the alarms blared.

It was chaos and yet Steel never flinched, even when a chunk of crown molding fell close enough to skim his hair and bruise his shoulder.

All the while, the Harvester screamed and thrashed until it abruptly exploded, its being scattered ineffectively amid the debris. Fires from the back were reaching out, licking at the wood and fabric of the restaurant seating.

"Steel, we need to move," Sapphire shouted and reached out, but he shunned her touch.

"Go, Sapphire! I am behind you."

She staggered from the door and turned just as the ceiling gave way. She spun, stumbled and someone caught her, dragging her clear.

"No, my partner. He's still in there." She struggled in the grip, fighting it, desperate to get back inside.

"He'll be fine, Sapphire." She stopped and spun, gasping at the sight of Lead. Immediately she buried herself in his grizzly bear-like embrace. "Leave him be."

Around them the night was lit as fire trucks arrived and men piled from the truck to add to the chaos. People were gathering, folks other than the ones who'd escaped.

The time passed slowly as the firemen struggled to bring the blaze under control. Part of the roof collapsed, wrenching a gasp from the crowd. Sapphire pulled Lead's jacket closer and tried to find comfort in its familiar smell and feel. She shuddered and closed her eyes.

_Steel? Steel, where are you?_

_Turn around._

She arched her head over her shoulder and saw him stumbling through the debris. His face was streaked with soot and his clothes were dirty and torn but that was of little consequence as she ran to him and pulled him close.

He was still cool to the touch but she didn't care. She brushed ash-caked hair from his face and sought his eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Well, it's a bit invigorating to have a building come down around you. I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart."

"But you are uninjured."

"I am."

"The Harvester?"

"Vanquished for now. By destroying all the reflective surfaces in the building, it had nowhere to flee. It will take time for it and them to regroup and attempt another conquest. Now, I would like to go home. Having a building fall upon you is admittingly taxing." His smile was wan. "The cleanup crew will come in and modify the memories of the patrons. They will remember the tragedy but not our role in it. Our mission is through."

They walked from the ruins of the restaurant, unaware that they were watched. Salem sighed in relief as they disappeared into the night. She trembled as she loosened her grip on the small ornate mirror hidden beneath her sweater. Those fool Elements thought they were so clever…


End file.
